The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-06-18
A DOMESTIC PROBLEM.
The Romantic Manner in Which it
Was Solved.

"a woman's education is mistake
from beginning to end, said Roxy
Stephens, in sudden outburst of de-
spair. Eyes, it is. Here have l been
going to school all my life, and l don't
know any thing. There never could
have BEEN" Roxy deliberately added,
"even in the Dark Ages, such an ig-
noramus as | am. | don't even know
how to feed the chickens properly, "
as downy colony of little "Domini-
ques" scattered this way and that be-
fore the mass of scalded meal which
Roxy had flung too abruptly into their
midst, while the mother hen. sounding
a trumpet note of shrill alarm, scuttled
back against the pcket-fence, with
tapping wings and feathers all a-bris-
tie.
Up to certain degree there was
truth in Roxy's lamentation. She had
been seventeen years old when she
came to live with her aunt Sally
Stephens on the Redbrook Farm. She
was a bright-haired, fresh-compleX-
toned girl with shady blue eyes, en-
phasized by perfectly arched brows a
thought heavier than falls to the usual
lot of womankind. They had al
ways been secret grievance to her,
these black, leech-like curves; but, had
she only known it, the dark, strongly
penciled brows were what gave charac-
ter to her whole face, and redeemed it
from the insipidity of mere pink and
white prettiness. In certain fashion
her mind corresponded to her eye
brows. There was quaint vein of
originality pervading it. Her nature
was strongly outlined, too, and in the
fullness of youth and vitality she had
once believed that she was born to
conquer fate.
Roxanna Stephens was eity-bred
girl, the daughter of Miss Sally's old
est brother. who had died unexpected
ly, leaving mothcrless girl totally I'M
provided for. Thus do people give
mortgages to fate, and dying, leave
others to foreclose on them. There is
undoubtedly a certain degree of injus-
tice in it; but who shall venture to carp
against the Lords will? Miss Sally
herself, a complaining little womln,
with face full of fine wrinkles, like
China Grape, and blue eyes hidden be.
hind misty spectacles, accepted the
trust as she had accepted all the Other
incolveniencies of her life, simply ant
without protest. She had never had
any strong emotions one way or the
other. If she had any active pleasure,
it was in gathering the humble herbs
and simples of her native fields ant
drying them in preparation for thu
aches and pains that beset her poo
humanity. cts always we'll to be
prepared" said she. Il don't hole
with the hom@pathies, nor yet hahn
no faith in calomel aud mercury
There amt nothin' like roots an(
herbs, and every neighbOr within ter
miles around comes to me for EN-
when they've sickness in the house."
And to this little old brown woman
IN little old brown farmhouse came
Roxanna, the young princess who haC
set forth to conquer the world.
"rm desput glad you've come, Rox
amer" said Miss Stephens, shifting a
a bunch of wilted pennyroyal. %
amt able to keep on dom as hey
been dom. Somehow it's borne il
upon me that Providence has sent you
1--we worked powerful hard all my life
le. nd now I'll jest rest a spell, and lie
you keep house for me. l hain't n,
doubt at all but what Wen get alon;
together first-rate, you and me-"
Roxy looked with solemn eyes a
her aunt Evidently the old lady ha'
faith as a grain of mustlrd-seed, ant
there was something contagious in he
example